Teaching a Modified Hendrickson, Cram, and Hammond Curriculum in Organic ChemistryJoel M. Karty, Gene Gooch, and B. Gray BowmanDescribes a new organic chemistry curriculum in which fundamental concepts are introduced before mechanisms, and mechanisms are introduced before reactions. Reactions are introduced according to similarities among mechanisms rather than the functional group involved.Karty, Joel M.; Gooch, Gene; Bowman, B. Gray. J. Chem. Educ.2007, 84, 1209.

Learning Theories |

Mechanisms of Reactions

Periplanar or Coplanar?Saul Kane and William H. HershThe prefix peri, derived from the Greek for "near", was chosen to make the meaning "approximately planar". However, the current common usage of syn and antiperiplanar is planar, which is incorrect. In the interests of proper language, we suggest that future authors instead use "syn-coplanar" and "anti-coplanar".Kane, Saul; Hersh, William H. J. Chem. Educ.2000, 77, 1366.

Organizing Organic Reactions: The Importance of Antibonding OrbitalsDavid E. LewisIt is proposed that unoccupied molecular orbitals arbitrate much organic reactivity, and that they provide the basis for a reactivity-based system for organizing organic reactions. Such a system is proposed for organizing organic reactions according to principles of reactivity, and the system is discussed with examples of the frontier orbitals involved. Lewis, David E. J. Chem. Educ.1999, 76, 1718.

Understanding Organic Reaction Mechanisms (by Adam Jacobs)Daniel BergerA good buy for any organic chemist, particularly for those teaching organic chemistry, and should be strongly considered as a supplementary text. It is also useful as a main text (supplemented by other material) for an intermediate-to-advanced undergraduate course in organic reaction mechanisms.Berger, Daniel. J. Chem. Educ.1999, 76, 167.

Mechanisms of Reactions

Mechanism Templates: Lecture Aids for Effective Presentation of Mechanism in Introductory Organic ChemistryBrian J. McNelisTo promote active student learning of mechanism in introductory organic chemistry, hand-outs have been developed with incomplete structures for reaction processes depicted, which are called mechanism templates. The key to these lecture aids is to provide only enough detail in the diagram to facilitate notetaking, ensuring that these templates are dynamic learning tools that must be utilized by an engaged and alert student.Brian J. McNelis. J. Chem. Educ.1998, 75, 479.

Learning Theories |

Mechanisms of Reactions |

Reactions |

Addition Reactions |

Acids / Bases |

Electrophilic Substitution |

Nucleophilic Substitution

Incorporating Organic Name Reactions and Minimizing Qualitative Analysis in an Unknown Identification ExperimentClaire Castro and William KarneyThe authors have developed a new type of unknown identification experiment for the introductory organic chemistry laboratory. The unknown sample the student is provided with is the product of an organic name reaction. The student is only informed of the starting material and conditions used in the compound's synthesis, and must then: (1) deduce the compound's structure, (2) determine the name reaction and corresponding mechanism that yields the compound, and (3) present his/her results to the class. Claire Castro and William Karney. J. Chem. Educ.1998, 75, 472.